Valve-operating device for tank cars



Dec. s. 1925 E. R. GUDEMAN ET AL VALVE OPERATING DEVICE FOR TANK CARSFiled Feb. 12 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 avweutoz s E. R. GUDEMAN ET AL VALVEOPERATING DEVICE FOR TANK CARS Dec 8 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 12

'Illlllll 1111111111 Patented Dec. 8, 1925.

Ulii'lED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

I EZRA It. GUDEMAN, F BALTEMQRE, MARYLAND, ATE) GEORGE JGSEPI-I MACK, OF

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSEGR ORS TO U.

PORATION OF WEST VIEGENIA.

S. INDUSTRIAL ALCOHOL 00., A COR- VALVE-OPEBATING DEVICE FOR TANK CARS.

Application filed February 12, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EZRA R. GUDEMAN, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Baltimore, Maryland, and Gnonen Josnrr: MACE, acitizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county ofKings and State of New York, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Valve-Operating Devices for Tank Cars, of which thefollowing is a specification.

Our invention relates particularly to a device adapted to operate valvesin tank cars but is applicable also to the operation of valves in manyother constructions.

The object of our invention is to provide an operating mechanism forvalves by means of which the valves may be securely locked in positionwhen closed but which are so arranged that they may be readily openedwhen required.

A further object is to locate the valve controlling mechanism in theinterior of the tank car so that the valve cannot be opened except whenthe cover of the tank car has been removed.

Still another object is to provide a removable locking element in thetank car which is supported from the wall of the same so that it isready at all times to be moved into place for locking the valve when thecover of the tank car is open.

From the following description further objects of our invention will beapparent.

Our invention may be embodied in many different forms of apparatus butby way of example we have shown only certain forms of the same in theaccompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of one form01 our invention shown on the interior 01 a tank car.

Figure 1 is a vertical section of a valve adapted to be operated by ouroperating mechanism.

Figure 2 is a planview of a portion of apparatus shown in Figures 1 and1 and Figure 3 is a side elevation of a modified form of our invention.

In the drawings, referring first to Figures 1, 1 and 2, we have shown atank car 1 having a dome 2 provided with a dome plate 3 having ascrew-threaded flange 4 to receive a screw-threaded flange 5 on aremovable dome cover 6. The dome plate 3 is Serial No. 444,554.

riveted to the dome 2 by means of rivets 7 Cooperating with the head ofone of the rivets in the interior of the tank car, there is a pipecoupling 8 which is screw-threaded upon the end of a pipe 9 having asupporting ring 10 connected by a chain 11 to a bracket 12 projectingfrom the side of the dome 2. The lower end of the pipe 9 is arranged tofit over the upper screw-threaded end of a valve rod 13, which projectsthrough a hole 1 in the end of the bracket 12. The extreme lower end ofthe pipe 9 contacts with a nut 15 on the rod 13, which nut overlies awasher 16 located above a handle 17 having an inclined cylindricalelevating and strengthening portion 18 fitting over the end of thebracket 12. Beneath the bracket 12 the rod 13 carries a coil spring 19,the lower end of which is supported by a sleeve 20 secured on the rod13. The rod 13 furthermore at its extreme lower end carries a plungervalve 21 fitting within a tapering outlet opening 22 provided in anoutlet plate 23 riveted to the tank car 1.

The other form of our invention shown in Figure 3 is constructed thesame as the form of the invention shown in Figures 1, 1

and 2, except that in the form shown in.

Figure 3 there is provided a pipe 24 which is supported by means of ahinge 25 secured to the pipe and to the demo 2 by suitable rivets, andexcept that this pipe 2% has screwthreaded upon its lower end a pipecoupling 26 adapted to contact with the nut 15.

In the operation of our invention as shown in Figures 1, 1 and 2, whenthe cover 6 of the dome 2 has been secured in place, it is not possibleto disturb the valve operating mechanism as the latter is entirelyenclosed within the tank car. When, however, the cover 6 has beenremoved for discharging the contents of the car, the pipe coupling 8 isunscrewed until it is released from the rivet head at the top of the carand the pipe 9 is then removed from over the end of the valve rod 13 andis held suspended on the end of the chain 11 so that it cannot drop tothe bottom of the car. The hand lever 17 can be rotated to lift the rod13 now in opposition to the force of the spring 19 so as to remove thevalve 21 from the opening 22. The contents of the tank car will thenflow out until the car is emptied. In order to fill the tank car thevalve 21 is allowed to be returned to its seat by the force of the coilspring 19 after the handle 17 has been turned into its originalposition. The pipe 9 is placed over the upper end of the rod 13 and thepipe coupling 8 is screwed into place. After the car is filled the cover6 is screwed into place thus closing the car ready for transport.

The other form of our invention shown in Figure 3 operates in the samemanner except in the following respects: In this nstance, in order torelease the valve tne pipe coupling 26 is unscrewed and the pipe 24 ismoved upwardly on the hinge so as to be out oi the way pl the valve rod13 when moved upwardly by the handle 17. While the car is being emptiedthe pipe is supported by the hinge 25 so that it cannot drop to thebottom of the car.

By means oi" this mechanism it will be seen that the draw-oil valve ofthe tank car cannot be opened from the exterior without the previousopening oi? the dome cover and inasmuch as this dome cover may be lockedin place with any suitable lock, as for example the form of lock shownin the copending applicatin 01" Georg-1e Joseph Mack relating toclosures, executed on the 6th day or January 192-1, it will beunderstood that the locking of the cover also results in the locking ofthe draw-oil valve. When, however, the car is to be emptied the operating mechanism for the valve may be readily reached so that the pipe overthe upper end of the valve rod may be removed to permit the valve rod 13to be moved so as to open the draw-oft valve. Furthermore, when thevalve is to be closed the pipe referred to is always ready so that itmay be introduced over the end or the valve rod and secured in place tolock the valve closed.

Sur invention has been described in detail. above but any changes may bemade within the scope of our invention without depart ing from thespirit of the same.

We claim:

1. A. valve operating mechanism for tank cars and the like comprising avalve opening rod, and an adjustable screw-threaded pipe couplingadapted to be insertetl in the path of movement of the rod to preventposi tively any upward motion thereof when the valve is closed, saidcoupling being operable from the dome of the car.

A valve opera mechanism for tank cars and the like comprisin a valveopening rod, an adjustable screwthreaded pipe coupling attachable to thedome of the car and adapted to be inserted in the path of movement ofthe rod to prevent positively any upward motion thereof when the valveis closed.

3. The combination of a tank car, a valve operating mechanism comprisinga valve opening rod and a removable adjustable stop adapted to beinserted in the path of movement of the same to prevent the opening ofthe valve, said stop being supported from the tank ca 3 and said tankcar having a rivet which cooperates with the end of the stop when thevalve is locked in position.

The combination of a tank car, a valve operating mechanism comprising avalve opening rod and a removable adjustable stop comprising ascrew-threaded pipe coupling, said stop being supported from the ti"car, and said tank car having a rivet which cooperates with the end ofthe pipe coupling when the valve is locked in position.

5. The combination of a tank car, a valve mechanism comprising a valveoiling rod and a removable adjustable stop aoted to be inserted in thepath of movent of the same to prevent the opening of valve, said stopbeing supported from tank car when in use, and said tank car so having aflexible supporting means for valve is in open position.

,- ing mechanism comprising a valve rod and a removable adjustable stopminimising a screw-threaded pipe coupling, said stop being supportedfrom the tank car, and said tank car also having a flexible supportingmeans for the stop when the valve is in open position.

7. The combination oi: a tank car, a valve operating mechanismcomprising a valve opening rod and a removable adjustable stop adaptedto be inserted in the path of movement or the same to prevent theopening of the valve, said stop being supported from the tank car in aconveniently accessible position, said tank car having a bracketsupporti g the valve opening rod, and said valve opening rod having anoperating handle and an inclined ring enclosing the outer end of thebracket.

8. The combination of a tank car, a valve operating mechanism comprisinga valve opening rod and aremovable adjustable stop comprising ascrew-threaded pipe coupling, said stop being supported from the tankcar, said tank carhaving a bracket supporting the valve opening rod andsaid valve opening rod having an operating handle and an inclined ringenclosing the outer end of the bracket 9. A valve operating mechanismfor tank cars and the like comprising a valve opening rod, and anadjustable screw-threaded pipe coupling flexibly suspended from the domeof the car and adapted to be inserted in the path of movement or" therod to prevent positively any upward motion thereof when the valve isclosed.

10. The combination of a tank car, having a dome cover and located nearthe same, a valve operating mechanism comprising a valve opening rod anda removable adjustable stop adapted to be inserted in the path ofmovement of the same to prevent the opening of the valve, said stopbeing supported from the tank car, and said tank car having a rivetwhich cooperates with the end of the stop when the valve is locked inposition.

11. The combination of a tank car, having a dome cover and located nearthe same, a valve operating mechanism comprising a valve opening rod anda removable adjustable stop carrying a screw-threaded pipe coupling,said stop being supported from the tank car, and said tank car having arivet which cooperates with the end of the pipe coupling when the valveis locked in position.

12. The combination of a tank car, having a dome cover and located nearthe same, a valve operating mechanism comprising a valve opening rod anda removable adjustable stop adapted to be inserted in the path ofmovement of the same to prevent the opening of the valve, said stopbeing supported from the tank car and said tank car also having aflexible supporting means for the stop when the valve is in openposition.

13. The combination of a tank car, having a dome cover and located nearthe same, a valve operating mechanism comprising a valve opening rod anda removable adjustable stop comprising a screw-threaded pipe coupling,said stop being supported from the tank car and said tank car alsohaving a flexible supporting means for the stop when the valve is inopen position.

14. The combination of a tank car, having a dome cover and located nearthe same, a valve operating mechanism comprising a valve openin rod anda removable adjustable stop adapted to be inserted in the path ofmovement of the same to prevent the opening of the valve, said stopbeing supported from the tank car and said tank car having a bracketsupporting the valve opening rod which valve opening rod has an operating handle and an inclined ring enclosing the end of the bracket.

15. The combination of a tank car, having a dome cover and located nearthe same, a valve operating mechanism comprising a valve opening rod anda removable adjustable stop carrying a screw-threaded pipe coupling saidstop being supported from the tank car and said tank car having abracket supporting the valve opening rod, which valve opening rod has anoperating handle and an inclined ring enclosing the end of the bracket.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing, we have hereunto set our handsthis 26th day of J anuar 1921, and 6th day of January, 1921,respectively.

EZRA R. GUDEMAN. GEORGE JOSEPH MACK.

